Qatar Foundation (QF) has been hailed as a global “platform for cultural exchange” during a fashion show-style celebration of Indian tradition at Education City – featuring dresses from each of India’s 29 states. 
More than 200 guests enjoyed a colourful showcase of traditional Indian women’s dress at Education City as ‘Bharata Vastram’, the first in a new programme of culture and heritage events organised by QF Community Development – demonstrated how clothing can tell a story about the fabric of the nation where it is worn.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Qatar, QF partner university Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar – the venue for the show – and artists’ platform MAPS International as part of the ongoing Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture, a cultural exchange programme run by Qatar Museums. 
Guests included Ritu Kumaran, wife of Indian ambassador P Kumaran.
Ritu Kumaran said, “Qatar Foundation is a platform for cultural exchange among the people of the world – at this event, we have highlighted Indian cultural diversity, and we look forward to further collaborations that reflect our common goals of building a better future for our communities.
 “I’m proud that universities across Education City are home to Indian students, and that the connections between Qatar Foundation and Indian educational institutions continue to progress.”
Speaking at the event, Amy Johnson, director of Community Engagement at QF, told guests that Bharata Vastram – organised by QF’s cultural and heritage programming team – was designed to allow people to “walk away with a new appreciation of India’s cultural diversity”.
“By bridging communities and sharing cultural similarities and differences, we can build stronger ties between people and nations, which is absolutely critical in today’s day and age,” she said. “We look forward to more educational and inspiring cultural and heritage experiences at QF, all year long.”